Ancient Egyptian Magic: Amulets and Symbolism in Clothing and Jewelry

The Egyptians used amulets for protection and often displayed and wore images of various gods and goddesses. During most of ancient Egypt's long history it was a pantheistic culture, worshiping many gods. Each of these deities had a specific image and characteristics, such as Isis with her wings, Bet with the head of a cat, Anubis the jackal-headed god and Ptah, who often sports an erect phallus.


Amulets and Symbolism



Children, women and men wore amulets in life and in death. Necklaces, rings, earrings, brooches, crowns, circlets, bracelets, wrist bands, arm bands and wide jeweled collars often displayed images of gods and goddesses. They used specific symbols, such as the scarab and the ankh, for protective purposes on jewelry, clothing and accessories.

Embalmers wrapped amulets in the wrappings for the dead, creating the distinctive mummies that continue to fascinate museum goers and students of Egyptology to this day. Among the more bizarre forms this fascination took was the practice of grinding up mummies for medicine in the Victorian era.